I teach a cooking class nowadays, which has led to me cooking
dishes which I rarely cook at home unless I get an order. As a result of which, I’m
also getting to partake of some of my favourite home delicacies.
And today, after ages I cooked Kankrar Chorchori or Dry Crab Curry-Bengali
style. And yes, I know the North Indian phobia against eating seafood during
months with the letter R in it and the rainy season. All nonsense. Pay no heed
to it. Go to your market, buy a kg of crabs. And to make sure you don’t actually
get some fell monsoon disease, make sure the crabs are alive when you buy them.
Then turn your head while they’re killed by the fishmonger. It’s all for a good
cause after all – yummy for your tummy.
The picture was taken by a very dear friend of mine when I cooked it the last time.
Here goes:
KANKRAR CHOCHORI
In hot oil, add a tsp of panch phoron. When the panch phoron starts
spluttering, add the paste of one large onion and a tbsp of ginger paste and a
tsp of garlic paste. Saute. Add 1 tsp of chili powder and a 1tsp of cumin
powder. Saute. Add some split green chilis. Then add puree of 2 tomatoes. Saute
for 5 to 10 mins. Then add the crab (1 kg) and around two sliced potatoes which
have been fried. Stir the crab and potatoe till coated with the masalas. Add a
cup of water. And 1tsp of salt and sugar.
Cover and allow to cook on low flame for 10-15 mins till crab is done.
Then sprinkle with garam masala (freshly ground) and take off flame.
